Flyin Courage achieved a rare feat yesterday when he succeeded as a trotter after a win as a pacer at his previous start.
Flyin Courage, who is trained at Waikouaiti by Bruce Negus for Ben Fraser, of Oamaru, Tony Crosbie and Kevin Krammer, both of Nelson, and Stewart Dolamore, of Burnham, has been driven in both wins by Oamaru junior driver Matthew Williamson.
Flyin Courage led over the last 900m yesterday and held on by a length. Tower Of Song staged a big run for second, but he was relegated to seventh for causing interference to Sunny Jewel when he left stride at the 1400m. Tower Of Song lost several lengths.
Flyin Courage won his previous start at Forbury Park on June 14. He has won seven races as a pacer. He was having his ninth start as a trotter after first being tried in that role on March 8.
The three Williamson brother reinsmen figured in a trifecta for the first time yesterday. Nathan Williamson trained and drove Sunrise Delight to win the first heat of the Golden Girls series for trotters from Bets Best (Brad Williamson) and Dusky Wishes (Matthew Williamson).
Sunrise Delight has now had two wins and two seconds in four starts for Invercargill owner-breeders Neville Cleaver and Kevin Strong. The 4yr-old Sundon mare is the last foal of Little Miss Watch.
"That is the 58th win for the progeny of Little Miss Watch," Cleaver said.
She has left seven individual winners including Musgrove (16 wins).
Roni Lauren, the Oamaru owner-trainer, produced Pandora's Diamond for a fresh-up win. She took over the training of Pandora's Diamond three months ago from Jeremy Douglas, who is shifting to Waikato to milk cows.
Pandora's Diamond won three races with Douglas. Lauren had her first win as a trainer with Pandora's Box, the dam of Pandora's Diamond. That was at Oamaru in March 1997.
Lauren said she would retire Hannah, who has a slight tendon injury.
Hannah won the 2011 Southern Belle series final at Winton in 1.54.3 for the mile. She won at Winton in October in 1.54.4.
Brian Kerr, who drove Whispering Campaign to win the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes in 1978, trained and drove The Black to win yesterday. He prepares The Black for Philippa Cooke, a Christchurch pharmacist.
Trainer Steve Dolan confirmed Castellina Lover for the Queensland Oaks on July 7 after she finished second, beaten a neck by Temudgin yesterday.
Castellina Lover is booked on a flight from Christchurch to Sydney on Wednesday. She will join the stable of Luke McCarthy.
Dexter Dunn has retained the drive.
It was the fourth win on end for Temudgin, who joined the Rakaia trainer David Jones seven months ago. Temudgin, owned by Jones, Kevin, Ray and Tony Hickman and David Shadbolt, had won his first two starts when trained by Gerard O'Reilly and subsequently had a stint with David and Catherine Butt.
Jack Trainor was suspended up to and including July 1 and fined $150 for excessive use of the whip on Phoebe Rival at Addington on Friday night. He defended the charge.
Best Deal Yet won the $A50,000 final of the Premiers Cup at the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Best Deal Yet, trained by Mark Purdon and owned by Merv and Meg Butterworth, was driven by Natalie Rasmussen.
Best Deal Yet rated 1.59 for the 2609m (mobile).
The Butterworths bought Best Deal Yet out of the Branxholme stable of Kirk Larsen in December after the gelding had won for breeder Martyn Fairbairn.
Marquess De Posh won the $A30,000 Gold Coast Oaks in a 1.58 rate for 2100m (mobile).
The daughter of McArdle and Fremantle Sunset was bred by Lindsay and Adele Dawkins, of Blenheim, and sold for $4500 on the third day of the 2010 premier yearling sale to Invercargill horseman Phillip Devery.
"We broke her in and took her through to her first workout as a 2yr-old before she was sold to John Starr, of Sydney," Devery said.
Marquess De Posh is trained by Paul Fitzpatrick.
Starr has bought other horses from Devery including Selby Bromac, who won an Interdominion heat.
Terrorway won the free-for-all in 1.56.8 for the mile.
